Recipes, reviews and recreation with the Madhouse Family - one parent, three kids, two dogs, all bilingual !

Sunday, 18 May 2014

#MorningStories made a little easier with BelVita Breakfast biscuits

You know how sometimes you read something online and sit there nodding your head, totally recognising yourself? Well, that was what happened when I read about BritMums latest campaign. They said : "Mornings with the family can be the busiest time of the day - getting everyone washed, dressed, fed and out the door by 8am isn’t easy! However, we know mums are the best at juggling, so we want to hear about your mornings and your tips and tricks on how you get the most out of your mornings whilst looking after your family in our #MorningStories Linky Challenge!"

Well, here's what my breakfast looks like most mornings ! The alarm goes off at 6.15am, I hit the ground running (luckily I'm fully operational as soon as my feet hit the ground) and I have 15 minutes to let the dogs out, grab a quick glass of orange juice, brush my teeth and get ready for work. At 6.30, I wake up the kids and give them all a cuddle and make sure they've got their breakfasts before checking my bag is ready for work (it's all laid out where I can't miss it, along with a quick breakfast to eat at the bus stop !) and heading off to the bus stop at 6.55 - phew !

On my days off, I sometimes have a bowl of cereal or porridge or I might stick with the BelVita biscuits, accompanying them with a yogurt, a piece of fruit and a glass of fruit juice. (I've never been into hot drinks, unlike Madhouse Daddy who can't function until he's had a cup of strong, sweet coffee.)

BelVita breakfast is the only breakfast biscuit proven to slowly release carbohydrates over four hours as part of a balanced breakfast, so they're a much better option than grabbing a regular sweet treat out of the biscuit tin as I head off to the bus stop. There are several flavours available, including the new cocoa ones filled with live yogurt, but my favourites are still the apricot and live yogurt ones. They have the perfect blend of sweet filling and slightly salty biscuit and the individual serving packs are really convenient for munching on the go.

If you crush up the biscuits and add melted better, they make a fabulous base for cheesecake type desserts. I made a gorgeous Apple & Pear-offee Pie using the cocoa ones, but this probably wouldn't be the healthiest option for breakfast !

My top tips for a stress-free breakfast are :

- get the kids involved : give them all a simple job like putting away the cereal box, putting the bowls in the dishwasher and emptying any uneated cereal into the bin before it sets like glue to the bowl !

- prepare everything in advance the night before : lay out clothes (including underwear and shoes) for every member of the house before going to bed and put everything you need (phone, purse, keys, etc) on the hall table so you're ready to grab it on the way out of the door without hunting high and low. Set the table for breakfast too.

- make it fun : if your kids aren't very hungry in the morning, offer them a selection of foods (cheese strings, yogurt tubes, squeezy fruit pouches, fresh fruit like strawberries or mango) that are more likely to tempt them and wake up their appetites.

What are your top tips to get the day off to a good start ?

Disclosure : This post is an entry for #MorningStories Linky Challenge sponsored by belVita Breakfast. Learn more at www.facebook.com/belVitaUK.